Sonam Wangchuk is an activist, reformist, and engineer, have a look at his wife and religion
Find out more about him and his 21-day fast.
For the last few days, renowned Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk has been fasting to support the autonomy of the Himalayan region of Ladakh. However, he recently acknowledged that due to fasting, his health was failing.
Even when his supporters begged him to stop, he adamantly declared that he would continue for the few more days that were initially scheduled.
Who is Sonam Wangchuk fasting since 19 days, biography, age, family, wife, religion and education
Wangchuk’s passionate campaign exposes the dangerous effects of industrialization on the fragile glaciers and environment of Ladakh while also criticizing what the locals see as Chinese incursions.
In a phone interview with Reuters, he reaffirmed his resolve to finish the 21-day fast, despite growing worries about his deteriorating health. After Wangchuk’s fast is over, his supporters and community members have promised to alternately go on hunger strikes until Wangchuk recovers enough to continue his protest.
Remarkably, on Saturday, 2,000 or more people gathered at his protest location in Leh, demonstrating their undying support and solidarity. The matter has become so big that even many celebrities currently supporting Sonam Wangchuk’s movement.
DAY 19 OF MY #CLIMATEFAST
5000 people fasting with me today. Morning Temperature: – 4 °C
As nature seems to find no serious place in our parliaments & policy making, I'm sharing a cray idea here.
Voting rights to nature.
It may sound weird, just as giving voting rights to… pic.twitter.com/Oa0xi66kzS— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) March 24, 2024
Due to this, Sonam has become the talk of the town with many people trying to learn more about him. So, let’s find out everything about him:
Who is Sonam Wangchuk?
Sonam Wangchuk is a well-known Indian engineer, innovator, activist, and education reformist. He has been in the news because he has been fasting for 21 days to support the autonomy of the Himalayan region of Ladakh.
He was born on 1 September 1966 in Alchi, Jammu and Kashmir (now in Ladakh), India. His father is Sonam Wangyal, a politician and his mother is Tsering Wangmo, a housewife.
He was brought to Srinagar at the age of nine and registered at a local school. Wangchuk later graduated in 1987 with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Srinagar (formerly known as REC Srinagar). In 2011, he also attended the Craterre School of Architecture in Grenoble, France, for two years to continue his studies in Earthen Architecture.
He is currently 57 years old.
He is married to Padma Angmo and together they have two children together. He is a Buddhist by religion.
His career
After graduating in 1988, Sonam Wangchuk co-founded the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), initiating impactful school reforms and collaborative projects like Operation New Hope.
In addition, he coordinated NGO cooperation and provided advisory responsibilities in education while serving as the editor of Ladags Melong magazine until 2005. From 2007 to 2010, Wangchuk provided international advice to a Danish NGO on education reforms.
He spearheaded the Ice Stupa initiative in 2013 to alleviate the water issue in Ladakh. Wangchuk co-founded the New Ladakh Movement in 2013, which promoted sustainable development, in the political sphere.
His activism extended to urging a boycott of Chinese products in 2020. He began a fast that would last till his death in March 2024 in opposition to industrial encroachment and to demand constitutional protections for Ladakh.
Sonam Wangchuk is on his 18th Day of Fast
None of the Modi Govt Ministers have even said a word about him. For the record, Congress Govt agreed to Anna Hazare’s demands after 12th Day of his Fast. pic.twitter.com/jqGzzJnxBn
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) March 23, 2024